Outsiders Spirits unveiled its premiere release today- a bold, new best-in-class spirit that friends and company co-founders Eric Church and entrepreneur Raj Alva named Whiskey JYPSI – a contemporary interpretation of the “JYPSI Spirit” in all of us that seeks adventure and deeper meaning.
The first release, Whiskey JYPSI’s Legacy Batch 001, recently winning the Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, is based on a traditional bourbon mash bill. However, instead of blending the grains before fermentation or sourcing from the usual geographies, Whiskey JYPSI lived up to its name – sourcing individual aged whiskey components from various origins, then scientifically blending them to recreate the mash bill.
The Outsiders partners took a hands-on approach to every aspect of their new whiskey, creating and curating everything from inception to release – from taste, packaging and marketing to the point of view. With Whiskey JYPSI, the brand has set out to create the finest whiskey and inspire.
“Whiskey JYPSI celebrates doing things the unconventional way. It’s the commitment to the creative spirit, the process and the journey that excite me the most,” says Church. “It’s meant to inspire others to take chances as we have – follow a different path and enjoy and experience life at its fullest.”
As serious whiskey enthusiasts but not yet experts in making it, Outsiders sought the help of experienced masters in the art and science of the spirit who could reimagine the traditional whiskey industry conventions – and bring a series of rich, complex blends of whiskey and bourbon to life in a variety of releases over time. After meetings with various master distillers and blenders, they chose Ari Sussman for their first release.
Sussman is the former head of Spirits Development at the Artisan Distilling Program at Michigan State University and an award-winning whiskey maker. He also has a bit of the JYPSI Spirit in him. Before he entered the whiskey world, Ari worked in the vineyards of Bordeaux, raised ostriches and grew almonds with Bedouin tribes, and lived in an Israeli kibbutz.